Thursday, November 21, 2013

{Theme Thursday} {TPT} Shaming

It's Third Person Theme Thursday!  Two link-ups, twice the fun.  Follow along on Third Person Thursday with Kelly at This Ain't the Lyceum and Theme Thursday with Cari at Clan Donaldson.








When Annery was in her 20's, she had a lot of answers.  Answers for everything.  Potty training her oldest as soon as possible was of the utmost importance.  It was a rush to pull-ups, then on to the thick little training underwear that doesn't really stop the pee, but at least soaks up enough to keep little shoes mostly dry.  Potty training was a stressful time of rushing to bathrooms and learning the location of all bathrooms in a four-city region.

Now Annery is in her 30's.  She wonders if this has made her wise or lazy.  Maybe both.  Annery no longer feels the rush to potty train that haunted her with Little Bean, now a perfectly continent 8 year old.  Little Bean learned in her own way, in her own time.  It wasn't really until she made up her little mind that diapers were for babies that potty training took root.

In short, it wasn't anything Annery did.  Annery was just the accessory.  She helped pull pants back up and rinse out the gross little potty chair.  She washed hands and dispensed candy and stickers.  Annery was really more the door greeter than the director.

Six years later, Sweet Pea is showing some interest in the potty chair.  She asks about it and wants to sit on it, even though nothing happens when she does.  She likes the potty and wants to be a "big girl".  Inwardly, Annery cringes, thinking about the extra set of clothes and accidents that are the hallmarks of a potty training toddler.  "Can't she just wear a diaper until she's so old she just starts doing it all on her own?" Annery wonders.

Finally though, Sweet Pea's cries of, "potty!" are answered.  Daddy takes pity on his tiny 17 month old and hoists her onto the toilet.  Sweet Pea is so proud of herself!  She does nothing more than sit in the strange open bottom chair, but she knows it's a big deal.

As Annery answers the cries of, "Mommy, come look!", she wonders if perhaps her husband is trying to shame her into potty training the desperate toddler.

With entreating eyes, Sweet Pea wonders why Mommy won't help her during the day.

As sweet as the scene was, Annery is still fairly confident that she's going to drag her feet on potty training.  "What's the rush?" she wonders.  It's not as if there won't be more diapers, God willing, in the future.  Why should Annery start having to worry about car seats full of pee every time she leaves the house?  No, she's confident this will remain a game for many months...let the shaming continue.

21 comments:

  1. Madeline guesses it is true that boys potty train later than girls because C doesn't care one bit about the potty. She does put him on it occasionally just to see and he thinks it's funny. He likes to flush though.

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    1. Sweet Pea yells to sit on it...has yet to do anything though!

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  2. Potty training is just about the bane of my existence. When it was time to potty train JL, I offered my two oldest kids $75 if they would do it.
    Neither of them took me up on the offer.

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    1. If they've changed their mind, they can pick up that offer at my place!

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  3. Ah yes, little girls always have their Daddy's wrapped around their finger!

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  4. Every time my grandma calls me she asks if I have started potty training Wyatt yet. (He's 2 years, 5 months) It's funny cause with the twins, I was so concerned about getting started early and having them potty trained ASAP, and with Wyatt, frankly, I don't care. I am totally content to keep him in diapers for the time being. I'm sure I'll get to it... eventually!

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    1. I was in such a hurry before with the oldest - now I'd rather change diapers than accidents!

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  5. Ack! She's so tiny! Maybe it's not just a matter of "when they are ready," but "when mom is ready!"

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    1. She's 18 months next week - so very young for potty training and very tiny for her age makes it all a little crazy to me.

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  6. Oh my gosh..those eyes. How could you say "no" to those eyes?? She looks so tiny and cute up there.

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  7. Sweet Pea looks awfully proud of herself!

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    1. Yep, she's pleased she talked Daddy into it :)

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  8. Ha! Been there, done that (both scenarios). So so love this, and your Sweet Pea is SWEET!

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  9. I second Rebekah's comment . . . Don't ask is the child is ready. Ask if Mom's up to the task. And with my fourth, there are many, many issues I don't press tha way I did with my first. Hopefully the younger ones will be better adjusted.

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    1. Definitely not in a rush this time....even though I cloth diaper and it would certainly cut down on laundry!

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  10. Ugh, potty training. Kelly's insides dropped at the mere sight of the words. She wondered if Annery had considered bribing her older daughter into training the youngest when the time came. Kelly reflected that giving the older kids candy and stickers has always worked wonders in getting the littlest members trained. Not that they'll do the dirty work of emptying the potty, but thankfully Kelly did not need to spend all day sitting next to the potty and reading the same three board books as she did with her oldest.

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    1. Annery will be taking that advice. So many wise blogging mothers to learn from :)

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